The dimly lit brick walls and exposed wooden beams on the ceilings framed an intimate gathering with stand up comic Krish Mohan on Monday. Traveling from Washington D.C. to perform at the groovy venue called The Guru, Mohan provided laughs to last through the night.
As Frank Ocean’s song “Blonde” filled the highly decorated room, which featured several Buddhists statues, lit candles and welcoming faces, audience members chatted freely and made themselves at home at the bring-your-own-beer event.
No Show Comedy, a local comedy troupe, hosted the set. Robert Rau opened the show.
First on the stage, Rau opened the set with stories of being a middle-aged, state-employed office worker. He told a story of how he was paid to be drunk for state cadets because he can’t handle his alcohol and ends up always stealing a shoe once too intoxicated.
Rau also admitted to writing “Happy Birthday” on a deceased friend’s Facebook page, and if that didn’t have the audience laughing, the fact that one can check into the 3.5-star Heaven on Facebook surely did.
Before leaving the stage, Rau shared his love for Nicholas Sparks movies as he revealed he was a sucker for the tearjerker “The Vow.”
Finally, Mohan took the stage with his black, shoulder-length locks, blazer, glasses and tennis shoes. He said he was fully aware his appearance resembled that of a modern day Jesus, who “teaches an 11 a.m. theology class.”
Not shying away from touchy subjects, he spoke on his perspective as an American immigrant and his feelings toward the country. Though from India, Mohan believes everyone is an immigrant, and humans are “cosmic immigrants.” Mohan pushed his audience to see the similarities that link the human race.
He told a story of getting a switchblade pulled out on him during what he believed was an innocent game of basketball between children.
Mohan also pinpointed the origin of his anxiety to his mother instilling the fear of the “Indian Apocalypse” every night before bed when he was a child.
Not holding back his opinions, Mohan’s subjects depicted society’s contemporary issues, including drug reform, prison for profit, climate change, mental illness and human accountability.
Mohan urged his audience to think of not only bettering themselves, but each other.
“We are all a little crazy,” he said. “We as humans have to take care of each other.”
